Do you know your blood type? Don’t fret, because you’re not alone. Surprisingly, a significant portion (more than half of all Americans!) remain unaware of their own blood type. While it’s understandable that you might not know, there’s a chance that you belong to a specific blood group known as B negative.
Understanding your blood type can have significant implications for your health and the well-being of others, even if the thought of blood or needles makes you uneasy. To shed light on the importance of knowing your blood type, we consulted Danielle Nance, MD, a hematologist at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center located at Banner Gateway Medical Center in Gilbert, AZ. Dr. Nance helps elucidate the factors that determine an individual’s blood type before delving into the reasons why this knowledge holds such significance.
What determines your blood type?
“Your blood type is determined by which types of sugars or antigens are decorating the surface of the red blood cell,” said Dr. Nance. “Those sugars are added on top of each other to make the different types.”
The antigens are determined from a combination of your parents’ genes.
Whether your blood type is A, B, AB or O depends on whether you have or don’t have certain antigens, A or B, on your red cells:
- All blood has a base of O antigen
- Type A blood has the A antigen on red cells
- Type B blood has B antigen on red cells
- Type AB blood has both A and B antigens on red cells
- O blood type has neither A nor B antigen on red cells
“O is the most common and basic blood type, followed by A, then B, and finally AB,” Dr. Nance said.
The Rhesus factor, or Rh “decoration,” is what is referred to as the positive or negative. Most Americans are Rh-positive. Those who are O negative are considered universal donors, meaning anyone can receive type O negative blood.
“Knowing your blood type can also help predict the concentrations of certain proteins in the bloodstream, like von Willebrand disease,” Dr. Nance said.
“All types of blood are needed because all types of people need blood,” Dr. Nance said. “Someone needs a blood transfusion every 2 seconds, according to the American Red Cross. Blood donations are especially important for people with Native American, Hispanic, African American and Asian heritage, because blood type in each race is slightly different.”
Knowing your blood type can help predict some conditions that can occur during pregnancy, such as Rh incompatibility between mom and baby.
“Rh-negative women can become pregnant from an Rh-positive father,” Dr. Nance said. “When this happens, the mother can have an immune reaction to the fetus. This needs to be treated and monitored carefully during pregnancy.”
Your blood type is just one factor that contributes to your risk for certain health conditions. Make sure you see your physician for regular check-ups and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Ways to find out your blood type
Determining your blood type can be done in various ways if you don’t have access to your birth certificate. Here are some alternative options:
1. Consult your doctor: Your doctor may possess records that include your blood type. Reach out to them and inquire about the information.
2. Donate blood: When you donate blood, it undergoes testing that includes determining your blood type. If you have previously donated blood, you can contact the blood donation center to inquire about your blood type. Additionally, during your next blood donation, request a blood donor card, which will grant you access to your blood type information.
3. Inquire during a blood draw: The next time you have your blood drawn for medical purposes, ask the healthcare professional to inform you about your blood type. If you have undergone blood tests in the past, you can also contact the laboratory to check if they have your blood type information on record.
4. Consider an at-home blood test: Some at-home blood test kits require a small sample of blood from a finger prick or saliva. However, it’s important to note that these tests lack FDA approval, which means their accuracy may not be guaranteed.
Remember, it’s always advisable to consult with a medical professional for accurate and reliable information about your blood type.